Rotary engine.



No. 680,068. Patented Aug. 6, |90I..

' F. S. PICKERING.

RUTARY ENGINE. (Application ld Oct. 25, 1900.) (Ilo Model.) 3Sheets-Sheet l.

,wa-nanars Firms co. Pnoroumo., wAsNlNm'uN. o, c.

No. 680,068. I Patented Allg. 6, l90l. F. S. .PICKERINGL ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Oct. 25, 1900.) (No Model.) 5 3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

pw. J

W/T/VESSES l' Pik/@filly BY n TTONEYS Patented Aug. 6, |901.

No. 680,068. V

F. S. PICKEBING. ROTARY ENGINE..

(Application and mt. 25, 1900.)

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

um nodal.)

f J1' 'j I i vENfo/a' W/ TNE SSE S A TTOHNEYS TH: Nonms trans c UNITEDSTATES vAfr-ENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK SCOTT PICKERING, OF OLATHE, KANSAS.

ROTARY G N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,068, dated August6, 1901. Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,312. (Nomodel.)

To all whom t may concer-n.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SCOTT PICK- ERING, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Olathe, in the county of Johnson and State ofKansas, have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rotaryengine which is simple and durable in construction, Very effective inoperation, and arranged to utilize the motive agent to the fullestadvantage and to permit the operator to conveniently reverse the engine.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improvement. Fig.2 is an end View of the. same with a cylinder-head removed. Fig. 3 is across-section of the same on the line 3 3 in Fig. l. Fig. fis alike Viewof the same on the line 4 4 in Fig. Land Fig. 5 is a sectional plan Viewof the same on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

The improved rotary engine is provided with a cylinder A, havingcylinder-heads A A2, and a horizontally-disposed core A3, held inposition by said heads and forming with the cylinder an annular workingchamber A4, as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 4:. Within the Workingchamber Al are mounted to` travel radially-disposed andlongitudinallyextending piston-heads B B', carried at their ends onpiston-disks B2 B3, formed on or carried by internal gear-Wheels Bl B5,respectively in mesh with gear-wheels C, secured on the shaft D of arevoluble abutment D, made cylindrical and having a cut-out portion D2for the passage of thenpiston-heads B B, as the same pass through theannular Working chamber A'l from one side of the abutment to the other.The piston-disks B2 B3 are formed with central apertures for the passageof the core A3, and the inner faces of said disks t againstpacking-rings B6 B7,

having their faces beveled and in engagement with the beveled faces ofthe retainingrings Bs B9, respectively seated on annular shoulders A5,forming part of the cylinderA and located at the ends of the workingchamber A4. The packing-rings B*S B7 prevent leakage of motive agentfrom the Working chamber A4 at the piston-disks, and the retaining-ringsBS B9, besides acting as packing-rings, embrace the ends of thepistonheads B B' to hold the same in place in the Vpiston-disks at thetime said heads pass the recess A6 in the bottom of the cylinder A. Theabutment D extends in the annular Working chamber A4 and is seated witha portion of its peripheral surface in the recess A0 in the innersurface of the cylinder and in a corresponding recess A7 in the core A3,as is plainly indicated in Fig. 4. The close contact of the peripheralsurface of the abutment D against its seats in the recesses A A7 forms aclosed Working chamber and a perfect abutment for the back pressure ofthe motive agent during the passage of the piston-heads from one side ofthe abutment to the other, as Well as at all other times, so that thereis no dead-point. The abutment also has the additional function oftransmitting the Apower of the engine to other machinery, and for thispurpose the shaft D of the abutment carries a pulley E, adapted to beconnected by belt with other machinery for driving the same. v

. In order to prevent leakage of steam from one side of the Workingchamber A4 to the other side-that is, from the Working chamber to theeXhaust-chamber-the core A3 is provided with a movable packing F incontact with the peripheral surface of the revoluble abutment D.Suitable springs G, in conjunction with the balance-pressure of steam,press the packing F in Contact With said abutment, and in turn press theopposite side of said abutment against its seat in the recess in theinner surface of the cylinder A. It is understood that the various partsare so proportioned that the surfaces of contact of the abutment Dagainst the packing F and against its seat in the recess in the innersurface of the cylinder A are in each case greater than the cut-outportion of the cylindrical surface of said abutment, as is plainly shownin Fig. 4.

IOC

In the core A5, on opposite sidesof theabutment, are arranged ports H Hffor admitting and exhausting the steam to and from the annular chamberA4, the outer ends of said ports being connected with a suitablestealninlet pipe l-I2 and an exhaust-pipe H3, respectively, as isplainly indicated'in the drawings. Either of the ports H or H can beused as the inlet-port to drive the engine in either a forward orreverse direction, as desired by the operator.

In order to balance the packing F and the piston-disks B2 B3, I preferto admit steam into the spaces containing said parts, and for thispurpose I lead a pipe I into said spaces, the pipe being connected witha boiler or other source of steam-supply. A packingplate J (see Figs. 1and 3) is held against each end of the abutment D by a spring J (seeFig. 2) and by the pressure of counterbalancing steam to prevent steamfrom passing around the abutment from the working chamberinto theexhaust-chamber. The said packing-plates also prevent the steam fromescaping from the balance-pressure chamber into the exhaust-chamber, aswill be readily understood by reference to Fig. l. Each packingvJ hasparallel plane faces and two faces at right angles thereto, formed bytwo intersecting cylindrical surfaces, one of which is coincident withthe cylindrical surface of the core A3 atv-the cnt-out portion and theother face of which is coincident with the cylin-y drical surface of therecess A7 in the core A3 and having a radius of curvature exactly equalto that of the cylindrical surface of the abutment D.

The piston-heads B B are provided with sultable spring-packings K K', ofwhich the packing K is in engagement with the inner surface of thecylinderA, and the other packing K is engaged with the peripheral surface of the core A3, as shown in Fig. 4.

T he piston-disks B2 B8 are pressed against the ends of the abutment Dand also against the yielding packing by the pressure of coun'-terbalancing steam, said piston-disks B2 B3 having a larger surfaceexposed to the pressure of counterbalancing steam than is exother propersprings may be used for thisI purpose.

Instead of the sole use of strong springs forl .counterbalancing thepressure of steam iny the working chamber A4, adapted to resist heavy aswell as light pressure of working steam, I prefer to use comparativelyweak springs to insure a balance of power and pressure in the properdirection and to admit steam of the same pressure as that of the workling steam into the spaces outside of the working chamber A4 andcontaining the parts to be counterbalanced, and to thus oppose thepressufre of the workin g steam-with the pressure of thecounterbalancing steam.l Thus the parts to be counterbalanced on accountof having a greater surface exposed to the pressure of theconnterbalancing steam than is exposed to the pressure of the workingsteam will always have a balance of power and pressure exerted in theproper direction and never any great excess, whether the pressure of thesteam be light or heavy. For this purpose the pipe I is led into thebalance-pressure spaces, the pipe being connected with the source ofsteam-supply.

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the positionshown in Fig. 4, the motive agent enters the working chamb'er A4 throughthe port H to exert its pressure against the piston-head B and to drivethe same in the direction of the arrow a", and as the piston-head movesin this direction it rotates the piston-disks, so that the internal.gear-wheels B4 B5 rotate the gearwheels C to rotate the abutment D andto transmit the power of the engine to other machinery, as aboveexplained. At'the same time theabutment D, while constantly maintaininga closed working steam-chamber by its cut-out portion D2, allows thepassage of the other piston-head Bfrom one side of the chamber to theother and froml one side of the abutment to the other, While the motiveagent still continues to exert its pressure against the piston-headB,driving it, as above stated, until the piston-head B has passed theport H, when the motive agent then exerts its pressure against thepiston-head B to drive it in the direction of the arrow a. and in turnthrough the piston-head B to rotate the piston-disks with the resultabove 'explained. The exhaust-port H in this direction of revolution isconstantly open, and steam is exhausted in the space from the abutmentto the nearest piston in a direction contrary to the direction ofrevolution of said piston-heads.

It will be observed that there is no deadpoint, and also that the powerof the steam to rotate the piston-heads is always at its maximum, bothinrespect to the lever-arm through which it acts or its-turning momentand in respect to the constant area of the piston-heads exposed to thepressure of the working steam.

It is understood that the gearing is so proportioned that the abutment Dmakes exactly two revolutions to one revolution of the piston-heads, andconsequently the cutout portion D2 moves in unison with the piston-headsto allow the same to pass from one side of the abutment to the other.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder havinga central core spaced from the wall of the cylinder to form an annularworking chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said IOO IIO

scopes-r cylinder and having `a plurality of pistonheads traveling insaid Working chamber, a revoluble abutment mounted to turn in fixedbearings and extending in said annular Working chamber, the saidabutment having a cutout portion for the passage of the pistonheads,peripheral. seats for said abutment formed by a recess in the innersurface of the cylinder and a recess in the core, the core beingprovided at said recess With a. packing forming part of the said seat,the surfaces of contact of the abutment against its seats in thecylinder and core being greater than the cut-out portion of thecylindrical surface of the abutment, the peripheral surface of theabutment contacting closely With its seats in the said recesses, therebyforming a closed working chamber and a perfect abutment for the backpressure of the motive agent at all times, and means for driving saidabutment from said piston, as set forth.

2. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinderand having a plurality of pistonheads traveling in said Working chamber,an abutment mounted to turn in fixed bearings, and extending in saidannular chamber, the said abutment having a cut-out portion in itssurface for the passage of the piston-heads, the said cylinder and corebeing provided with recesses forming peripheral seats for the abutment,the surfaces of contact ofthe abutment against its seats being greaterthan its cut-out portion, the peripheral surface of the abutmentcontacting closely with its seats, thereby forming a closed workingchamber, and a perfect abutment for the back pressure of the motiveagent at all times, means for driving said abutment from said piston anda movable packing carried by the core and forming part of the seat forsaid abutment and holding said abutment against its seat in the recessin the cylinder, and means for pressing said packing against theabutment, as set forth. A

3. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinderand having a plurality of pistonheads traveling in said Working chamber,an abutment mounted to turn in iixed bearings and extending in saidannular chamber and having peripheral seats in said cylinder and core,means for driving said abutment from said piston, a packing carried bythe core and engaging the peripheral surface of the abutment, means forsubjecting said packing to steam pressure for counterbalancing purposes,and springs engaging the said packing and acting in conjunction With thesteampressure to insure a constant excess of pressure in direction ofthe abutment and constant contact therewith, as set forth.

4. A rotary engine comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinder, arevoluble abutment for said piston and driven from the latter, a movablepacking in the core and engaging the peripheral surface of said abutmentan inlet-pipe for conducting the motive agent to a space in said corebehind the packing to counterbalance the latter, and ports arranged insaid core on opposite sides of the abutment for admitting and exhaustingthe motive agent to and from said working chamber, as set forth.

5. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted t0 turn in said cylinder, arevoluble abutment for said pistou and driven from the latter, a movablepacking in the core and engaging the peripheral surfaceof said abutment,means for conducting the motive agent to the core to exert pressure onthe packing to press it in contact with the abutment, ports in said coreand opening into the Working chamber on opposite sides of the abutmentfor admitting and exhausting the motive agent to and from said chamberand means for transmitting the rotary motion of the abutment to othermachinery, as set forth.

6. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, apiston mounted to turn in said cylinder andcomprising piston disks and piston-heads carried by said disks andarranged to travel in the annular Working chamber, a revoluble abutmentfor the passage of said piston-heads and driven from the said piston, apacking in said core for said abutment, means for subjecting the saidpacking and the piston-disks to steam-pressure for counterbalancingpurposes, and ports arranged in the said core on opposite sides of theabutment for admitting and exhausting the motive agent to and from theWorking chamber, the said ports being connected respectively With asteam-inlet pipe and an exhaust-pipe as set forth.

7. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinder,and comprising radial piston-heads and piston-disks carrying said headsfor the latter t0 travel in the annular Working chamber, a revolubleabutment driven from said piston-disks, and arranged to transmit therotary motion of the engine to other machinery, and means forcounterbalaning the pistondisks by steam-pressure, as set forth.

8. .A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinderand having a plurality of pistonheads traveling in said working chamber,piston-disks carrying said piston-heads,an abutment mounted to turn infixed bearings and extending in said annular Working chamber and havingperipheral seats in said cylinder and core, means for driving saidabutment from said cylinder, and a packing carried by the shaft of saidrevoluble abutment and en- IOO IIO

gagging a portion of the surface of the end of said abutment, and also aportion of the inner cylindrical surface of said piston-disks,

as set forth.

9. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in saidcylinder,and comprising a plurality of pistonheads and piston-diskscarrying said heads for the latter to turn in the annular Workingchamber, an abutment mounted to turn in fixed bearings and extending insaid annular working chamber and having peripheral seats in saidcylinder and core, means for driving said abutment from said cylinder,and a packing carried by the shaft of said revoluble abutment andengaging a portion of the surface of the end of said abutment and aportion of the inner cylindrical surface of the piston-disks, andholding said radial pistonheads in their perfect circle of revolution insaid Working chamber about said central core, as set forth.

l0. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder having a central core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to turn in said cylinder.,and comprising piston-heads and piston-disks carrying said heads for'the latter to turn in said annular Working chamber, a revoluble abutmentmounted to turn in fixed bearings and extending in said annular Workingchamber and having peripheral seats in said cylinder and core, means fordriving said abutment from said cylinder, and packingrings engaging aportion of the outer cylindrical surface of said piston-disks and acrescent-shaped portion of the surface of the end of said abutment,preventing the fall of the piston-heads into 'the peripheral seat of theabutment in said cylinder and holding said piston-heads in their perfectcircle of revolution in said Working chamber, as set forth.

1l. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder scopes having'a central coreto form an annularworking chamber, a piston mounted to turn in saidcylinder, and comprising radial-piston-heads and piston-diskscarryingsaid heads for the latter to travel inthe annular Workingchamber, a revoluble abutment for the passage of said piston-heads anddriven from said pistou-disks and arranged to transmit the rotary motionof said abutment to other machinery, a packing in said core for saidabutment, a packing carried by the shaft of said revoluble abutment, andmeans for subjecting said piston-disks and said packing tosteam-pressure for counterbalancing purposes, as set forth.

12. A rotary engine, comprising a cylinder havingacentral core to forman annular Working chamber, a piston mounted to tu rn in said cylinderand comprising radial piston-heads and piston-disks carrying said headsfor the latter to travel in the annular Working chamber, a revolu bleabutment for the :passage of said piston-heads and extending in saidannular working chamber, havingperipheral seats in said cylinder andcore, mounted to turn in fixedv bearings and driven from saidpiston-disks, means for transmitting the rotary motion of. said abutmentto other machinery, means for admitting the motive agent forcounterbalancing purposes, and means for admitting and exhausting themotive agent to and from said working chamber by way of said core onopposite. sides of said abutment, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK SCOTT PICKERING.

Witnesses:

I. O. PICKERING, L. W. SNEPr.

